Citizens of Algeria received the highest number of return orders issued by European Union authorities in 2025, according to new figures published by Eurostat, with Moroccans ranking second among nationalities targeted by the bloc’s migration enforcement measures.
The data showed that more than 45,000 Algerian nationals were ordered to leave EU territory during the past year, while nearly 29,000 return orders were issued against citizens of Morocco.
The statistics form part of Eurostat’s annual overview of irregular migration and border control trends across the European Union.
According to the report, EU member states identified more than 719,000 foreign nationals residing illegally within the bloc in 2025. Algerians represented the largest nationality group among those detected, followed by Afghans and Ukrainians.
The figures also pointed to a decline in the number of Moroccans found to be staying irregularly in Europe. Around 39,000 Moroccan nationals were recorded in an irregular situation last year, marking a decrease of approximately 20.6 percent compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, European border authorities refused entry to more than 132,000 foreign nationals at the EU’s external borders in 2025, an increase of 7.1 percent from the previous year.
Poland registered the highest number of entry refusals, followed by France, Croatia, and Spain. Spanish authorities alone denied entry to more than 10,000 foreign nationals.
Eurostat said that land borders accounted for the majority of entry refusals, representing over 53 percent of all cases, while air borders represented 43.1 percent and sea borders around 3 percent.
On deportations, the report revealed that more than 136,000 foreign nationals were returned to countries outside the EU after receiving orders to leave. Turkish nationals represented the largest group among those deported, followed by Georgians, Syrians, Albanians, and Russians.
The data further showed that voluntary returns made up nearly 60 percent of all return operations conducted by European authorities in 2025, while forced removals accounted for the remaining share.
